FAMILY MATTERS:
Summer should be a happy family time___Now that summer is here and the children are out of school, I feel the stress of trying to keep them occupied and happy and not go broke. I need time to get my regularly scheduled chores and activities done. It seems like summer is always hectic, expensive, temperamental and just not the happy time I would like my children to experience.__As summer vacation begins, sit down with your children and let them know you are glad you will have more time to enjoy doing things together during the next couple months. It also is important for them to know you have household responsibilities and activities you will need to do. Let them help with some of the chores during the summer they are not responsible for during the school year. Explain that if the family does chores together, it will take less time and provide more time for things they would enjoy doing.

Kay TowersProgram CoordinatorLifeWay FellowshipKilleen

___Include them in deciding fun things they would like to do while out of school.___ Encourage them to spend time each day doing something by themselves. Focus on reading for fun. Suggest they keep a journal of their summer. Younger children can draw pictures to illustrate how they spent their school vacation. Remember, you need some time alone also. Quiet time with the Lord is so important for mother--especially during summertime.___ Go to a library, museum or park.___ Plan a picnic.___ Take advantage of church activities for children, like Vacation Bible School, fun days, choir camps or other programs.___ Community centers have events going on for children.___ Promote creativity. Invite children in the neighborhood to get together and put on a puppet show, skit or play for the parents.___ Go for a walk. Collect things such as leaves, rocks, bird feathers, etc. that children could use to make a collage. Have them pick a verse that would go with their artwork, and write it across the collage.___ Have them see how many birds they can observe on a walk or in the yard. Make a list or draw pictures of the birds they see. Use this time to talk about all God has made for us to enjoy. Remind them we also are responsible for taking care of what God has given us.___Vacation time should be a happy time. Thank God for the opportunity to spend extra time with your children. While they always will be your children, they won't be young forever.___